January Pro Cycling

Month Ahead: ’Cross Championships and Sunny Stage Races

As the cyclocross season wraps up with nationals and worlds, the road season kicks off from the Southern Hemisphere

joe lindsey and whit yost

(Photo by After dominating the World Cup series, Katie Compton hopes to win her first cyclocross world championship. (Balint Hamvas))

Believe it or not, the 2014 race season is upon us. Here’s a look at the upcoming month in professional cycling.

RACES TO WATCH
US Cyclocross National Championships (January 8–12)
Boulder’s new Valmont Bike Park is the site of the 2014 nationals, which should be as much a party as a race: This is the first time Boulder, one of America’s most cycling-mad cities, hosts a national championship. A stacked field for men’s and women’s races will play out over a course that, more than a week out, is getting reviews as tricky and technical—and that’s in dry conditions. Colorado’s winter weather is fickle, and conditions come race day could be anything from a dry, balmy 50 degrees to snowy and bitter cold. We’ll have interviews, reports, photos, and the latest in tech from this weekend’s events.

Tour Down Under (January 19–26)
The 2014 UCI WorldTour kicks off in Adelaide, Australia, with the TDU. What has traditionally been a race for riders to find their legs is slowly becoming a tougher and more competitive race (it’s still a relatively cushy gig, though, with warm weather and all seven days based out of the same hotel in Adelaide). There will still be plenty of sprint finishes, but in addition to the pivotal Willunga Hill finish on Stage 5 that will decide the race, Stage 3 features a short, sharp climb before the line that could factor. Defending champion Tom-Jelte Slagter is not racing, but Garmin-Sharp’s Rohan Dennis looks primed to fight for the win.

Cyclocross World Championships (February 1–2)
For cyclocross riders and fans, there’s nothing more important than the World Championships. After a stateside trip to Louisville, Kentucky, last February, this year’s event heads to the Dutch town of Hoogerheide. Racing kicks off Saturday morning with the junior race followed a few hours later by the elite women’s event. Sunday begins with the under-23s and closes with the elite men. While the Belgians are always a force to be reckoned with, look for homegrown talent like Marianne Vos, Mathieu Van der Poel, and Lars van der Haar to give the orange-clad Dutch fans something to cheer about.

RIDERS TO WATCHSven Nys (Crelan-AA Drink)
After an up-and-down start to the season characterized by mechanicals and crashes, Sven Nys seems to have finally put his bad luck behind him. And with the Belgian championships in Waregem on January 12 and the World Championships two weeks later, the reigning world champ seems to be peaking at just the right time. While Nys’s confidence has been buoyed by his recent wins, Trek, the Belgian’s new bike sponsor, is even happier. Nys won the first race of the year with his new Trek Boone, crossing the line with the bike held high above his head.

Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective)
America’s queen of cyclocross, Compton owns nine of the last 10 national championships and has won five World Cup rounds this season. Her success is undeniable, but Compton’s resume is missing one crucial piece: a world championship. Many thought last year’s race in Louisville, Kentucky, was her best shot, but Compton has for a rival arguably the best female bike racer ever, Marianne Vos. Compton has beaten Vos head-to-head in any number of races, but the Dutch rider always seems to come out ahead at worlds. Women tend to be competitive later in their careers than men, but at 35, Compton doesn’t have an unlimited number of chances left to get a rainbow jersey.

Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge)
After winning the Under-23 World Road Race Championship in 2010, this Australian speedster wasted no time in scoring his first win as a pro when he sprinted to a win at the end of Stage 3 of the 2011 Tour Down Under. But things went downhill from there as the then-Rabobank rider struggled to reach his potential. But a move to the Australian Orica-GreenEdge in 2013 seemed to be just what the 23-year-old needed. He ended the season with four big wins including two stage victories at the Tour of Spain. Look for Matthews to set his sights on winning the Australian National Road Championship in Ballarat before heading to the Tour Down Under with more stage wins in his sights.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
The breakout star of 2013’s Tour de France, Nairo Quintana has had a quiet off-season at home in Colombia, away from the media and fans. For 2014, the climbing sensation is leaning toward the Giro d’Italia rather than the Tour, but he’ll start his season at the Argentine Tour de San Luis (January 19–26), amid a stacked field of 12 WorldTour teams (Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquim Rodriguez will also start), plus nine Pro Continental and Continental outfits. Early form won’t be a solid predictor of Grand Tour wins, but expect Quintana to get off to a solid start.

WHAT ELSE TO EXPECTTrek Factory Racing Team Presentation
“Our Man in Europe,” James Startt, is heading to Roubaix, France, to attend the January 10 presentation of the new Trek Factory Racing squad. Look for interviews with star riders and a first look at the team’s new bikes and kit.

Argentina’s Tour de San Luis
Stay tuned for James Startt’s stories, interviews, and photography from Argentina with Quintana, Nibali, Rodriguez, Mark Cavendish, and Tom Boonen.

Last-Minute Signings
With five teams closing up shop after the 2013 season, there’s been a flood of riders hitting the transfer market. As a result, several talented racers remain unsigned heading into the 2014 season. The biggest name is certainly Chris Horner, the reigning Tour of Spain champion. But he’s not alone: former Olympic Champion and Grand Tour contender Samuel Sanchez is still looking for a job as well. Will these riders find teams willing and able to match their financial demands? Or will they wind up racing their local amateur circuits in unmarked jerseys and shorts until 2015?